Monday, September 25, 2017

Rolling Stone worked up a list of the 25 best performances on SNL. It's quite the list and spans the length of the show.

By the way, you'll never guess the #1 clip according to Rolling Stone. The Elvis Costello famously sticking a finger in the eye of Columbia Records by ditching 'Less Than Zero', the expected and demanded by the parent company song, for the anti-corporate anthem 'Radio Radio' checks in at #5.

You'll never guess and there are some awesome old clips along the way on this must-see list.

Rich Cohen at Vanity Fair has painted a masterpiece on the history of the Kushner family history in New Jersey and New York, how it all began and how each new generation seems to make things worse for the family name, and that's saying something after Charles Kushner.

Long form journalism, grab a cool refreshing Diet Snapple Peach Tea like Johnny did and enjoy. Don't worry about Johnny advertising for something, it's either the Snapples or water so Johnny's pretty comfortable mentioning his favorite beverage.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

In just under an hour the Giants will either continue on in their chase for a playoff spot this year or the incredulous wailing and gnashing of teeth of an off-season come early could hit around 4pm EDT today in Philadelphia.

It's pretty simple really today; The Giants offense has to show up, make an appearance, make themselves known, announce their presence with authoritah or Giants fans are gonna learn what thisBrowns fans has known for years, 0-3 or 1-4 immediately frees up your Sunday afternoons for the fall. If the Giants lose today it's 0-3 and leaf raking and hayrides. Oh its on the offense alright, they've stunk outloud both games. In some odd way the way the Eagles have ben playing does offer a glimmer of hope for the Giants offense. The Eagles have not shown any interest in running the ball. None. The Sheagles offense will rise and fall on Carson Wentz and that is where the Giants can take advantage. Their front is still very strong and should make things more difficult on Wentz than he is used to. The lack of any kind of Philly ground attack means time of possession right now is up for grabs. It'll be 93º at Lincoln Field and even hotter on the turf. Giants haven't run, Eagles haven't run. Who can keep their defense off the field better today, Eli Manning or Carson Wentz? Who doesn't throw interceptions today, Manning or Wentz? Going into the game it really does boil down to the QB's and who can manage today better.

Here you go Eli, the odd long pass won't be enough today, you're gonna have to Aaron Rodgers your way downfield consistently. Move the pocket, it's damned hot. Nobody likes chasing and chasing and getting nothing. Times like today call for the Giants' best players simply to be their best players. Johnny's kinda sorta got the feeling if the G-Men fall to 0-3 today the shadows over Manning's shoulder long-term start getting discussed over the dinner tables of NJ and NYC. Johnny's confidence the Giants could turn this around today would be greater if they'd shown any kind of coordinated attack in either of their first two games. White knuckle times indeed.

If it's late and it's Saturday it must be the regionally famous Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Alabama 59
Vanderbilt 0
Last week at this time Vandy players chanted "We want Bama" so this week Nick Saban brought extra salt north on the team busses so the Tide could salt Nashville like Scipio salted Carthage

TCU 44
Oklahoma State 31
Horny Frogs over Rhinestone Cowboys

Virginia Tech 38
Old Dominion 0Old Dominion needs a new scheduler

North Carolina State 27
Florida State 21
The Noles are 0-2 for the first time since Bobby Bowden's kids had all the newest shoe styles...daily

Central Florida 38
Maryland 10
Maryland was scoring like 800 points a game and then suddenly today the rocket formula must have gone missing

Penn 65
Lehigh 47
Today's game brought to you by Playstation

South Carolina 17
Louisiana Tech 16
The Cocks got power up and scored all 17 points in the 4th quarter, including the winning FG with :04 left and sent La Tech home with NO parting gifts, not a one

Florida International 13
Rice 7
Mmmmmmmm, International RiceSlippery Rock 49
Gannon 45
Can you smell what The Rock is cooking? 3-0 is what

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Humboldt St. 49
Western Oregon 48 OT
Like we always say, Johnny checks ALL the scores in America. Humboldt St. came all the way back from being down 35-14 in the second half and won the game when a Western Carolina kicker, who shall be nameless, missed an extra point in OT. Humboldt St. players may now loot and pillage Waco Texas for the next 24 hours

Nice job Kyle, the NCAA charges really show us what kind of "leader" you were.

OK, RU football. It'll be tough in the longest trip west one can make into B1G country to what a lot of B1G fans say is the friendliest trip you can make. The fans in Lincoln are known for their hospitality for opposing fans. The Huskers team? Not so much.

We're interested to see if last week's blowout win over a Division 1-AA side will really help smooth the burrs out of the RU offense so apparent vs Eastern Michigan. RU will need to score today, at least 20 points and maybe hope for a defensive TD as well. The Huskers score well at home, not so well on the road. The Scarlet Knights will need to put up at least 27 today is our guess and that might not be enough.

Offensively RU must be patient, and consistent. 4-5 yards on first down and the game can really slow down for RU. Positive plays on FIRST down is the key today for the offense, in fact if you show Johnny how Rutgers did in yards on first down plays after the game without watching, he'll tell you how they did.

Somehow, someway the RU defense can't allow more than 24-27 points. For as good as Nebraska can be at times, Johnny recalls a team in Lincoln that sometimes gets sloppy with the ball. IF the RU defense can keep the game close and like we said, get a score or a big play on special teams they CAN keep this close and roll the dice in the fourth quarter. We hope.

This is a game about schemes and offenses and defenses and not so much about individual stars. Both of these teams need strong team efforts as they lack the big stud type star who can own a game. Here's hoping RU can pull together today.

Friday, September 22, 2017

So, a good show by War on Drugs tonight in Central Park if a tad low-energy. The band doesn't seem to have a real back and forth with the crowd and the crowd, well like Johnny Tweeted, they were more involved with their phones than the concert. Seriously. It was somewhat embarrassing. Yeah, Johnny can tell the difference between someone holding a phone up above head level to snap shots or take video of the show and head down texts/Instaplace/FaceyGram or whatever else app windows are open. Some for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. A woman sitting in front of Johnny could've been reading War and Peace she was on her phone so long.

You kids wake up, there are some good bands out there and you're missing them. Concerts are about two things and always have been, music and getting drunk/high. You're ruining something so easy to get right.

So, what does that have to do with our first song tonight? Nothing, absolutely nothing.

The album this track, 'Could've Gone Mad' is on is named "Haunted" and if you don't already have it in your fancy record collection you have something new on your to do list. Wake the kids and call the neighbors, this is a good one.

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas have several Music Series-worthy songs but sadly none so topical as tonight's choice, 'Heatwave'. Topical Johnny, are you mad? It's late September, don't be a dotard man. Well friends the mercury is gonna spike tomorrow and Sunday (93º), Monday (92º) and Tuesday (91º) and that sucks the fun right out of fall. Put the lamby muffs away for now and enjoy some Motown.

Seeing as how during the fall a Saturday Night Music Series is out because of our surprisingly and wildly popular college football Scoreboard Show, and because Johnny is going to see War on Drugs in Central Park tonight, our Friday Night Music Series will be up later than usual.

Also tonight please note in your programs that tonight the part of Johnny will be played by Tom Hanks, not Bill Murray. Thank you for your attention.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

When you look over your shoulder
And you see the life that you've left behind
When you think it over
Do you ever wonder
What it is that holds your life so close to mine
-- Jackson Browne, 'You Love the Thunder'

David W. Ortmann, a 28-year veteran with the department, admitted to conspiring with another officer, only identified as the West District pick coordinator, to submit vouchers for work that was not completed.

Right? Just because it happens almost weekly or this week, daily should be done surprising us, the JCPD have a long history of letting the residents of this city down (cue the Carmine Disbrow sniveling hour) over the last few years, this is yet but another black eye. A D+ force in a B+ city, the JCPD.

Yet another bad actor for the JCPD had his sorry ass marched through federal court in Newark over not paying taxes or reporting these stand around construction site jobs Johnny has warned were a bad idea since forever. Today it was Michael O'Leary Jr.'s turn to plead guilty in the scam as he bribed another police officer $40,000 so he could get paid for work he did not perform, becoming the sixth man to plead guilty in a wide-ranging bribery scheme involving off-duty jobs for the city's police force.

It's at this point Johnny usually reminds the Jersey City residents and taxpayers that superiors actually pulled cops off of active duty, you know, patrolling for bad guys and scofflaws, to position them to stand around buildings being built and play Angry Birds on their iPhones. You'll get used to these cutaways as there are plenty more of these cases to come.

Terrence T. McDonald has more and exactly how the program is supposed to work:During a roughly 35-minute hearing this afternoon inside a federal courthouse in Newark, O'Leary admitted he gave $39,587 to an unidentified co-conspirator in exchange for the co-conspirator handing phony pay vouchers to the city that indicated O'Leary worked off-duty jobs that he had not.In Jersey City, companies that wish to hire off-duty police officers for security or traffic management must go through the city, which collects an administrative fee. Each of the city's four police precincts has a job coordinator who assigns the work and approves pay vouchers.
And for what? For a little bit of money? There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don'tcha know that?

Officials have been mostly mum on the mid-August incident, but multiple police sources told The Jersey Journal the incident involved Andrew Conti Jr., a sheriff's investigator who is a son of Undersheriff Andrew Conti. The elder Conti retired as captain in 2008 and was rehired as an undersheriff in 2011.Conti Jr. and at least one other officer were horsing around near the entrance of the building, sources said and at some point, he took out a knife and stabbed the other officer in the hand. While the officer's injuries weren't said to be serious, he was treated at a hospital, sources said.

Please, go read the article if you want your blood pressure to jump -- the public can't know as cops weren't officially called to the scene (even though you can bet taxpayer dollars were used on to pay for the insurance that treated "the other officer's" wounds.

As the song almost goes, "The County, they all went along for the ride..."

If you woke up this morning, and if you didn't we're sorry, you've no doubt noticed the low clouds hanging around. These are the predecessors of what is left of Hurricane Jose which will glance our coastline as Tropical Storm Jose, tomorrow afternoon, evening and into Wednesday morning. By late morning tomorrow however, it's going to get dicey outside.Our area can expect some pretty good wind gusts into the 40 mph range and plenty of sideways, annoying as hell, slap you in the face rain. The majority of any coastal flooding (and Jersey City is primed for coastal flooding) will occur Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Long Island and southeast Connecticut won't be quite as lucky but sadly, Jersey City can't save everyone. They must rise and fall on their own.

If you have lawn furniture or playground equipment lying about you'll want to ring it inside but this shouldn't be some end of the world type wind and or flooding storm like Irene and Superstorm Sandy.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

You'll pay for the whole seat but you'll only need the edge -- It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Michigan 29
Air Force 13
Even in victory the Wolverine offense has contracted the mange

Memphis 48
UCLA 45
Riley Ferguson threw for 398 yards and six touchdown passes for the Tigers. He's gonna get his name in the paper

Washington State 52
Oregon State 23
The Cougars and their fans are gonna wind up with a Gameday visit this year, make book on that

Northern Illinois 21
Nebraska 17
Ho hum, another week, another MAC win over the B1G. You know what they say, Huskies over Huskers

North Carolina A&M 35
Charlotte 31
Charlotte scored 14 points in the 4th quarter....and still came up short

Liberty 42
Indiana State 41
Jackson....Corbin Jackson. Years from now people will tell tales of the day they went to the Liberty vs ISU game and Corbin Jackson blocked a 21 yard Sycamore field goal at the death, getting power up and saving the day for undefeated Liberty

Rutgers 65
Morgan State 0
All is right in Piscataway, if only for a week

Susquehanna 14
Muhlenberg 11
Whaaaat? Win your game AND get mentioned on the Scoreboard Show? Living large in Selinsgrove, PA

Vanderbilt 14
Kansas State 7
After a tough offseason Vandy coach Derek Mason has the Commodores undefeated, good on the former MSU SpartanThe Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Florida 26
Tennessee 20
It's just sheer ownership at this point. No matter the score, no matter the situation Florida always wins this game. We now have the issue of what to call the state formerly known as Tennessee. North Florida is out, already have one of those. How about Mountainy Florida? Gator Top? Tebowvania? We'll get back to you

The center of the fun universe it at Grove St. and Newark Ave from 12-8 today but that's just the start. Stick around for all the bar fun and frolic after 8 bells on the Newark pedestrian plaza, it's always a hoot and a half. This year the party goes all the way up to Coles Ave so indeed more fun than you should be allowed to have without paying a tax.

Sure, sure, you love Rutgers, its why you clicked. Not many bandwagon fans hanging around the Garden State for RU football anymore. But you did click here and we are going to give you a proper Gameday thread (and feel free to comment during the game) despite the longest losing streak in America, despite the fact it's Morgan State and despite it's the last time the Scarlet Knights will be favored from here until Thanksgiving.

While focusing on one player in Bo Melton, NJ.com writer Steve Politi is spot on in his analysis of 'let's get the kids going, it'll be their program soon enough and let's get them some experience' going forward. RU does need to see what Chris Ash's recruits can contribute NOW. What are they waiting for? Here's a chance to have some success today with this young and supposedly talented corps of receivers and carry it into B1G play. Find out what the kids have, you'll rely on them as early as next week as Rutgers lacks the depth a lot of other B1G programs have right now. Get their uniforms dirty coach, they'll wash them.

OC Jerry Kill has to figure out what in tarnation he's going to do and actually mange a 2 QB system with Kyle Bolin and Johnathan Lewis. Lewis played for two plays last week, both awful and that was the end of him. Is he really a QB who is going to come into certain wildcat or other sets and do something or just be a novelty? Again, get the kids' jerseys dirty. Eastern Michigan is a good college team. A program on the come but let's face it, Bolin looked like he was playing Alabama last week. Kill is a well considered OC who has had a lot of success at this level but this is on him to make this work. In the meantime today, RUN. THE. BALL. 40 times at least.

Defensively the Scarlet Knights defense is the only reason EMU didn't win by 10 or more. They will have to find ways, and why not start today as practice makes perfect, to be stern and studly and keep RU in games or this season is a 1-11 disaster. Even if it means they have to take the odd chance in the secondary to jump a route and get a score, yeah, this is the engine that'll have to drive the bus.

Morgan State comes into today's matchup in Piscataway not having scored any points in 2017 (Like Johnny). Seriously, if Rutgers doesn't win this game and by a good margin -- questions about the Ash era are going to become the only question around the RU Athletic Department.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Johnny always has his ears open for inspiration for his beloved Music Series and sometimes that inspiration strikes quickly. He heard this one shortly after putting the finishing touches on last weeks Music Series and felt pretty confident we'd have a great leadoff tune tonight. 'Rain Falls for Wind' making our ears feel all good for the next 4 minutes and 8 seconds.

Brilliant cover, this. The scene in Pulp Fiction it's used in is so iconic at this point it's almost impossible to not hear this and want to dance with Mrs. Mia Watts. Urge Overkill with 'Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon'

Nothing beats a really great song set to a really awful 80's video but such is the case with this nugget, 'Sex, (I'm a ...)' by the fetching Terri Nunn and Berlin. Every so often the FM jocks would allow the song to play out and oh those last ten seconds as it fades out. Getting you out the door early tonight with the Music Series as Johnny has hot dinner reservations and nothing stands between him and good food. Or average food. Or just food.

Mayoral candidate Bill Matsikoudis wants to talk with you, the Jersey City voter, and thus has set up four town hall type events where Matsikoudis wants to discuss his policy ideas should he become mayor:"My grassroots campaign for mayor continues to focus on having honest policy conversations and making sure every community voice is heard," Matsikoudis said. "Like all elections, this will be a simple choice in leadership. Jersey City can continue to be represented by a man who will say, do and spend whatever it takes to be re-elected, or we can use this moment to rethink and recapture the true spirit of the city with new leadership and a fresh approach to finding solutions."

The best political beat writer anywhere, Terrence T. McDonald tells us:
The first of Matsikoudis' town halls is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. at Cafe Sole, 496 Communipaw Ave. The second will be on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. at the Barrow Mansion, 83 Wayne St., the third on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. at Second Reformed Church, 940 Summit Ave. and the final one on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Moose Lodge, 60 West Side Ave.

Steve Fulop as you may have heard somewhere is running for mayor of Jersey City again. Mr. Fulop's re-election campaign made an ad where Fulop sits in a lawnchair ie Chris Christie and in place of homesteading on a public beach closed in a snit, Fulop is using his lawnchair placed around Cool City ad to talk about his accomplishments in Jersey City, both real and imagined. A lot of people thought it was just the best thing.

Then it got pulled from YouTube. Johnny's dad used to have a saying, "If you have to explain a joke, it's no good." The Fulop ad team, Putnam Partners (who aren't returning calls it would seem) for whatever reason, tried explaining their ad. They used THE image (the overhead that spawned a thousand memes) for however short of a time, taken by Andrew Mills of NJ Advance Media in the actual Fulop ad and they didn't get themselves permission which is most likely the reason it's only on Fulop's Faceplacebook page. The ad agency didn't trust their gut enough. People in Jersey City would EASILY have gotten the lawnchair gag. Christ, know your audience. What's that? No, it wasn't some kind of guerilla ad made to be seen once or twice. It was planned for at least three weeks.

So, that's some good advice from Johnny's dad who had such other treasures you can work into your daily lives like "Would you kids like some candy?" YAAAAAAAAY "Why, you'd just eat it" and the classic, "Does your face hurt? It's killing me!"

This is one oft those stories that cuts both ways for Johnny. He thinks Carmine Disbrow, who represents the JCPD in all matters where a blowhard with an overactive imagination is necessary, might have a point when he decries the fact the JCPD is kind of leaderless with James Shea now just allowed to act as police chief. Fulop's decision, he'll just act as the boss. Not that that's his job or calling but he'll handle it. That's a BAD idea. Get a cop in charge of the other cops. not a ublic safety director no matter what he did in New York City, this is Jersey City. That point brings us to the other part of the cuts both ways comment; City Spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill's response to Disbrow (Face it, to her response to just about anyone) was that his commentary "undermines his credibility." Maybe Ms. Morrill would do better to stick to easily called upon facts to show Disbrow still isn't over Fulop calling out the JCPD for their part in the wild west shootout that had JCPD officers firing out car windows while driving through our streets and ended when they kicked an innocent man who had been set on fire in the resulting car accident.

So we have a spokesperson who is right on some points about the actions of the police force in our fair city and a police union spokesman who is right about wanting a proper chief. Reasonable people should be able to come to an agreement over these issues, right?

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The New York Times food critic found that Razza, located right here in Jersey City, was the nest pizza in New York City or however geographically broke it down. Anyway, Jersey City place wins, NYC "It can't be good if it's not from the 5 boroughs" crowd immediately began yowling and puling in a way Johnny hasn't heard since the old Gradzilla issue back at the Ypsi City Desk when Eastern MIchigan graciously offered to let the University of Michigan use Eastern's Rynearson Stadum for U-M's graduation as 'The Big House' was under renovation and unavailable; EMU told them they'd decorate it real nice and change the end zones to MICHIGAN and make them maize and blue and all the U-M grads could do was spit on EMU.

What exactly was it Razza did to get the "Fuck New Jersey" sentiment going? Make great food apparently. Some were kind, even glowing but if you'd like to read what the snivelers and people with nothing more to worry about than something as subjective as pizza, follow this here linkage.

Former mayor of Jersey City and convicted felon Gerry McCann had his challenge to Ward B incumbent Chris Gadsen's amount of legal signatures on petitions tossed by City Clerk Robert Byrne. McCann felt Gadsen had not turned in enough valid nominating signatures and while 82 of the 335 were tossed more than enough remained for McCann's whining to be dismissed.

For those of you younger Jersey City Desk readers McCann has a rich and checkered history in Jersey City politics. He was elected mayor in 1981 and 1989 before being forced from office following a conviction on federal fraud and income tax evasion charges. McCann served two years in federal prison for his malfeasance. McCann now works for the city Department of Public Works.

Johnny is of the mind there are some who loudly crow or show off how much they now 'celebrate' this day and Johnny' just not into celebrating or showing off some kind of connection to it. He hopes everyone gets some time to today to thing and reflect and nobody should ever feel they need to keep up with the Joneses' on this day. An inward looking day if ever there was one.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Gee, any acrimony towards the Cowboys, NFL, and Ezekiel Elliott before the kickoff? Makes tonight's game a real barn shaker doesn't it?

For the third straight season the New Jersey Giants will start in Dallas in Goblin King Jerry Jones' palace (seen here in a file photo).
Really, it's all in front of the Giants tonight. Both of these teams are solid playoff teams, double digit wins kind of teams. Chance to make a statement, like the courts did. It seems someone will find a way for Ezekiel Elliott to play no matter what the NFL says or how big of a piece of crap Elliott allegedly is. He's just going to play by the grace of the court system and Odell Beckham Jr. is questionable as he was nicked in the first preseason game vs Cleveland. Now that we have the cast set, let's see how the pieces on the board look vs one another.

The Giants have had the upper hand on the Cowboys recently and they haven't had to run to do it. Eli Manning has proved a smart QB, who spreads the ball around and does have two or three receiving threats can keep the Dallas Eleven looking like the Eagles on any given Sunday. The possibility of no Beckham hurts but the Giants are more than prepared with Brandon Marshall, Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram running through and around a questionable-at-best Cowboys secondary. Johnny actually thinks if the Giants are going to have a breakout running attack it might be tonight. Eli should keep Dallas off balance throwing which should allow the Giants O-line enough smashmouth opportunities to have an impact. We like the Giants to put up at least 24 tonight.

Dallas has a great offensive line which allowed rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott time to blossom and become superstars. They're the belles of the ball and the cat's meow.

So it's baaaaad for them the Giants defensive line ranks among the best in the NFL and has been able to handle the vaunted Dallas line the last few meetings. The G-Men don't have to be perfect on every play but if they uphold last year's second best in the points against category they should be able to contain the Dallas attack.

It's also bad there's something known as the sophomore slump. Johnny's not saying it will hit them both, or one or the other. He just knows sophomore slump is a thing and second year stars do have them.

So, big game already, tie breakers and all later on do matter. A win today is almost worth two. National teevee, last game of the day. Swimming pools, movie stars. Johnny can't wait.

Maryland 63
Towson 7
The Maryland offense this year be like
Mississippi State 57
Louisiana Tech 21
You've never seen this before, you'll probably never see it again. Louisiana Tech had second and goal on the Mississippi St. six yard line. After a very unsuccessful second and goal they had third and goal from their OWN six. You read that right. They lost over 80 yards on one play. What do you call on 3rd and 93?

Oregon 42
Nebraska 35
Oregon ran up a huge 42-14 lead at halftime then ran to Bed Bath & Beyond for a while and almost gacked it upThe Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Eastern Michigan 16
Rutgers 13
Eastern is now a cool 1-38 vs the Big Ten all time. Suck on that Wayne Duke. Suck on that Rutgers. Go cry in your Taylor ham. You have no idea how long Johnny has waited for the alma mater to get a top tier win. Decades to be exact. If Johnny was still living in Ypsilanti tonight he'd leading the cheers at the Sidetrack drink in hand. A win over the B1G? That calls for the fight song!

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Five candidates are official and on the ballot for the upcoming Hoboken mayoral race, a wide-open affair with incumbent Mayor Dawn Zimmer moving on to concentrate on issues affecting global warming and the environment. The five who are ON the ballot are as follows:

The five other qualifying mayoral candidates are City Councilman Michael DeFusco, Council President Jennifer Giattino and Councilman Ravi Bhalla, as well as local restaurant owner Karen Nason and cycling advocate Ronald Bautista.
Now, as for Anthony Romano, that'll have to be decided in court. Romano is currently on the ballot and running for two offices simultaneously. That runs afoul of the law according to at least one FuHo resident:"On behalf of my client, Patricia Waiters, a Hoboken resident, this letter constitutes her formal objection to the validity of the nominating petition of Anthony Romano purporting to designate him as a candidate for Mayor of Hoboken," attorney Eric Dixon wrote, in a Sept. 8 letter submitted to Hoboken City Clerk James Farina. "State law prohibits not only the simultaneous holding of multiple elected offices, but also the simultaneous candidacies for multiple elected offices in the same election."
Now Romano of course disagrees but for now we'll need to hear from the courts on this one. There's much more on this breaking story from Steve Strunsky that you'll want to read up on. Again, follow this link and it's all right there.

While every Rutgers fans saw the schedule come out, even after a 2-10 year a lot of fans went "Oooh, we start with Washington, a top ten team, we'll get a great idea where we ar----OH GODDAMMIT, WHAT IS THIS EASTERN MICHIGAN SCHOOL AS A HOME OPENER!!!??"

Sure, a program that until last year laid moribund for 25 years and until last year hadn't been to a bowl game since 1987. Eastern has been what Rutgers fans feel they are now, a losing program in a tough conference (Don't sleep on the MACtion!) with no way up. Rutgers fans, for their contempt at the game probably all feel, even a weak RU team, is going to roll EMU. B1G vs MAC right? Walkover.

In the words of a college football guru, "Not so fast my friends."

Rutgers better get a lead. Eastern will NOT be outworked in Piscatawy today, it's the whole schtick the program revolves around now. They play HARD for 60 minutes. They won a lot of games last year in the 4th quarter. They condition. Hell, the fact they've changed Rynearson Stadium to "The Factory" tells you how this program sees itself. They went down to Baton Rouge last season, controlled Leonard Fournette and darned near tipped LSU on the road. Honestly, the hard work mantra DID work last year and continues to. A program with zero identity for 30 years now has one. RU is going to find Eastern a tough, and annoying team to play. EMU is also one of those dangerous MAC squads as they have upperclassmen who have experience. Brogan Roback is a quality QB. They have receivers who catch they ball. If EMU gets a lead they will run the ball until the sun goes down. Their offense if effective yet low-risk. EMU played in a bowl game last year (lost by 3) but this is now a program that believes in itself and these kids will run through any wall for head coach Chris Creighton, who was on many voters' short lists for national coach of the year honors.

Now, is EMU as good as we see from MAC school Western Michigan who played in a Big 8 bowl and almost upset #4 USC last weekend? No, they're not. Not yet certainly and Rutgers should have an advantage in player personnel, face it, the B1G lures better players. RU head man Chris Ash has to know he's got an issue today. He HAS to win this game. Lose to a MAC school, no matter their standing, and the bottom falls out of this Scarlet Knights season and the positives taken from the toe-to-toe with #8 Washington last week are all but forgotten. Ash has to put his best players in the best position to control and dominate a game. His ballers have to ball better quite simply. Gus Edwards and the RU backfield have to punish EMU up front and take the clock game Eastern wants to play away from them. RU should be running for 150-200 yards today, but will they? Can the offensive line keep Kyle Bolin upright and looking downfield and grind down the clock? That'll be the key. EMU will move, and will score but Rutgers needs to keep this game 'in front of them'. Rutgers will need their best effort in a long time today, perhaps similar to the tussle they game Michigan State a couple years back when MSU came in #4 in the land and RU almost beat them.

Rutgers better be up for this game because Eastern would LOVE to put a B1G scalp in their trophy case just like rivals Western Michigan and Central Michigan have in their pockets over the years.

Friday, September 8, 2017

Johnny is very conscious of the fact that the next two artists on the Music Series tonight have passed on. So he's gotta get out front with a real rocker by someone VERY much alive and tonight that person shows himself as the great Dave Edmunds with a stunner, "Slipping Away'

Now you do have to suffer through some tiresome racing videos but along the way, if you close your eyes, and you get lost in that classic Dave Edmunds gee-tar sound well friend, you're gonna be just fine.

As we mentioned Sunday when the sad sad news of Walter Becker's passing broke, we'd have some Steely Dan on tonight.

Johnny had a hunch something was pretty wrong when Mr. Becker didn't make the recent tour stop in NYC, his hometown. You go from being concerned to really worried. Johnny harkens back to concert tickets he had in the late 90's or early 2000's to see Sheryl Crow at a small auditorium in northern Michigan when suddenly the show was canceled for a health reason. It was breast cancer and she'd had a mastectomy. Yeah, so Johnny was already thinking the worst then, well, there you go.

It was soooooo nice to hear the plaudits in the media for Becker's playing and songwriting as some noted, I loved him I just didn't like Steely Dan. When the people who didn't have a taste for your sound know how good you were, you've had quite an impact. Here's to Walter Becker, from the phenomenal album Aja, here's 'Black Cow' and after reading a lot on him we think Mr. Becker would be just fine sharing this one on vinyl.

Loew's Theater will host the Ward C council candidates forum this upcoming Saturday from 10am til noon. We kind of like the breakfast with the candidates feel of this meet up. Ward C's rep, incumbent former JC cop Rich Boggiano, 74, is facing Janet Chevres, 53, a business administrator at JPMorgan Chase; John Hanussak, 48, who works for the city Resident Response Center; and Rekha Nandwani, 40, president of the Jefferson Avenue Block Association. More on the event here.

Somewhere Nidia Lopez is kicking herself for not getting on the ballot here as she packs her Florida home to flee Hurricane Irma.

Johnny's an Eastern Michigan University guy as you all know living in Rutgersland. Eastern and Rutgers play football on Saturday. Johnny's got a bad feeling about this one...for RU fans. Make sure to come back for our Gameday thread for all the particulars.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Johnny just ordered his Halloween costume. He gets invited to the best party every year and really tries to outdo himself. Now, because Johnny is not his real name he can't share which costume he'll be in, that's not the point here. He checked a couple popular costume websites and a LOT of them already had quite a few costumes sold out already.

Shop now kids, Halloween is reaching peak popularity and costumes it seems are becoming scarce.

...and it is indeed a two man race for Jersey City mayor between incumbent Steve Fulop and former Healy corporation counsel, Bill Matsikoudis. Elsewhere Terrence T. McDonald reports there will be 7 candidates running in Ward F and 6 in Ward E with 48 candidates citywide. This link, it helps with the breakdown.

Monday, September 4, 2017

While you enjoy your day off (most of you), let's recall the utter fight labor had to be recognized with such things as 5 day 8 hour workdays. The right to organize, the right to stand up to an employer treating you wrong. It all used to be different and those early labor rights men and women gave an awful lot for you to enjoy a day off and a cheeseburger on the grill.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

“But when fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.”
-- Stephen King, 'Salem's Lot

Just horrid news this morning that co-founder of the seminal band Steely Dan, Water Becker, has passed away. Johnny doesn't have a lot of Walter Becker stories to throw around, he and Donald Fagen are somewhat private guys. What he does have is a lifetime of great lyrics, fabulous music, and the best backup singing, all in part from Mr. Walter Becker. Johnny will no doubt have a song next week on the Music Series dedicated to Becker and Steely Dan but for now, it's 'The Royal Scam'

Its the first Saturday Night Scoreboard Show of 2017! Remember, it's not official until it's on the Scoreboard Show.

Alabama 24
Florida St. 7
Bama looks as much of a sure thing to make the playoffs as anyone not named Ohio St.

USC 49
Western Michigan 31
Wanna know what class is? USC scored a late TD and got to put their blind long snapper in for the last extra point. Now Jake Olson is an inspiring player to do what he does but after a long, hot, and pretty close game know what the WMU players did on the Olson's extra point? Nothing. They stood there to help ensure his success. THAT is sportsmanship of the highest order. Good on Western

Michigan 33
Florida 17
Michigan threw back-to-back pick sixes to Florida, missed two field goals, had a punt blocked and had a TD called back on a penalty yet STILL won by 16. Current Gator status?
Maryland 51
Texas 41
The turtles of the strange flag went wild in the wild wild west today. We've got our eyes on you Terps

Michigan State 35
Bowling Green 10
And Johnny still has no idea which Spartan team will show up against WMU next Saturday

Marshall 31
Miami (OH) 26
Keion Davis of Marshall had two kick returns for TD's so he's boss of the remote control in the apartment this week

Western Kentucky 31
Eastern Kentucky 17
Glad that's settled

Wofford 24
Furman 23
Johnny did not wear his Furman shirt today and no doubt it cost the Paladins dearly

St. Johns (MN) 98
St. Scholastica 0
No, you read that right. Johnny's seen some lopsided shit in his life but WOW. Yes, Johnny checks ALL the scores so if your team gets nutmegged like St. Scholastica here, you're going on blast

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Army 64
Fordham 6
Army did not complete a pass all day long. Now, to be fair they only tried twice but no, they did not complete a pass. Poor Fordham defensive players must have some awful bruises and tire tracks all over them tonightTime for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday, September 1, 2017

Let's get this Labor Day weekend kicked off the right way; raw, live rock and roll (from Japan) with The Runaways and 'Cherry Bomb.' Sure it cuts off the last couple seconds but it's such a great live version it's all good. 1977 never sounded better.

Now here's a great old song (if by old one means the late 80's) by The The and 'Uncertain Smile' from the album (yes album) Soul Mining that'll get you out the door and on your way to Labor Day weekend fun.

If you are one of the lucky ones to have a ticket to tonight's very important World Cup qualifier at Red Bull Arena, both PATH and FIFA are urging you get to the arena early. If you thought security was high at Red Bulls matches, wait'll tonight. The match is at SIX thirty, got that? SIX thirty.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Well well well, it sure seems like summer just flew by. Technically it still has a couple weeks to run but as we sit on precipice of September and fall tonight how about a little ode to the summer that was. The Rolling Stones before bed and 'Summer Romance' taking us into the low 70's tomorrow and September.

...they know two short sleeps will bring back the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show! Johnny doesn't do much with nor care much about the numbers this place gets as far as views but he does know people crowd in from everywhere on Saturday nights in the fall.

We've had to place a ban on Penn State this year being among the scores listed, except for their losses, because some schools are just vile.

While we saw a lot of hangers on and family around Christie after he enjoyed his personal private beach weekend but not nearly enough to make up 16% of the voters in the poll. Who ARE these other people?

The Neverending Story that is the Pulaski Skyway rehab pens a new chapter as a part of the entire loping project reopens to the public just mere years after the two year fix (now on it's fourth year) continues. What do you have for us oh NJDOT?

The reconstructed eastbound lanes of upper level of Route 139 in Jersey City between Central and Palisade avenues will reopen today, state Department of Transportation officials said.The work being performed all along the four-lane roadway that runs from Kennedy Boulevard to the Holland Tunnel is part of the $1 billion Pulaski Skyway replacement project.DOT officials said one travel lane will be open from Central Avenue to Oakland Avenue, and it will open to two lanes from Oakland Avenue to Palisade Avenue.

With weather being hard to predict with any exactness 3 days out the Jersey City Desk viewing area and the surround may get the last remnants of Hurricane Harvey currently making an awful awful mess for our friends in Houston and along the Gulf coast. Right now the bulk of the rain looks to hit later Saturday with highs in the mid 60's (Boardwalks and state parks will suffer surely if this is the case) with Sunday rebounding somewhat. The story is just a click away.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

A man using a phone app managed, like ya do, to ride through the Lincoln Tunnel. Probably everyone behind the biker laughed and laughed as he backed everyone up because (helpful hint) there are no bike lanes in the Lincoln Tunnel. Actually Port Authority police said the man was on a food delivery and after being stopped and questioned he showed them the app and that yes indeed it did take him through the Lincoln Tunnel police confirmed. Johnny thinks cops could have let this slide but they did issue the biker a trespass ticket.

Let's go you layouts, slug-a-beds, and ham and eggers, you only have one more week to get your paperwork in to run for council and mayoral runs. As far as your mayoral paperwork and money you plan to spend running against Steve Fulop you may well just go take that cash and go up on your roof and throw it into the wind. Trust Johnny, it'll have the exact same effect. You'd be better served to buy a 20x20 piece of property and go get a 20 year abatement on it. Those are automatic here.

Johnny is just gutted by late word tonight former Michigan State head basketball coach Jud Heathcote has passed away at age 90. Heathcote you may recall led the 1979 MSU basketball team with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser to an NCAA title over Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores.

Heathcote was an old school yeller, complainer and invented the 'Jud Thunk" in which he'd pop himself in the forehead for the sins of a player. Off the court he was a wonderful and generous man. One of Johnny's favorite stories was the year Jud had announced his retirement and all the Big Ten schools on his last visit gave some kind of gift out of respect to a long time rival. His last road conference game was in Ann Arbor vs the University of Michigan. After the game they had a presentation to Heatcote and the U-M athletic department gave Jud a very very nice home entertainment system and grand TV of the day to go with. Meeting the press afterward Heathcote said "I'd like to thank the Michigan athletic department for just a wonderful gift. It will give me hours of pleasure, I know. Thanks so much you didn't have to do it, but nice going you did."

Saturday, August 26, 2017

You kids keep it down out there, Johnny's gonna play some late night Warcraft. Also a reminder to the JCPD and JCPD, there is a no siren rule in effect until 8am within three blocks of Johnny's house. Ask the black helicopters if you need clarification, they know where he lives.

Friday, August 25, 2017

The Red Bulls saved a little bit of face for their fans by finishing 1-1 vs NYCFC in Harrison tonight. The Red Bulls were a mere 20 minutes away from losing all 9 points this year in the Hudson River Derby.

What a terrific late summer night we have tonight. Heck, late August and it looks like mid to upper 70's for the next ten days. That's a fine way to lead into fall. Johnny's been excited all day about tonight's Music Series and coming at it from a cool weather state of mind.

Guess who is having a birthday today? No, not Johnny. Mr. Elvis Costello that's who, someone who has made just an awesome impression on Johnny. Seen him a couple times (once with The Police) and never no never went home disappointed.

Birthday cake and ice cream for your ears friends, '(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea' sending you on your way on a gorgeous late summer night in Cool City.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Amtrak said the repairs being done all across the tracks at Penn Station will be done on time and that the inconvenience commuters are experiencing is coming to a close:

"Track repairs have continued apace while many New Yorkers focus on the ongoing subway crisis, and regular service is now scheduled to resume on Tuesday, September 5th......Amtrak has already completed more than six of the eight scheduled weeks of repair work, according to the agency. Repairs have focused on a network of aging New Jersey Transit and Amtrak tracks on the station's western end, confirmed in the wake of mounting service delays, derailments, and residual commuter headaches."
While only a fool would take their word for it, it is good news, far better than we keep hearing from the Pulaski Skyway repair team.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

...more specifically, say Jersey City men, did any of you you know, walk out of your pants on the way home from the train, you know, like ya do? Maybe you just weren't even paying any attention at all. Perhaps the belt broke but doggone it man, you've lost your britches. You can find them near Christopher Columbus and Washington Street.

The esteemed BBC queried 253 film critics from across the globe and asked them to send back a list of the top 100 comedies of all time. If you follow this fast-acting link you'll be able to see the top 100 along with those nagging questions you want answered about why some of yours didn't make the list:

What the critics had to say about the top 25
The full list of critics who participated – and how they voted
Does comedy differ from region to region?
Do men and women find different films funny?

Monday, August 21, 2017

A pic Johnny took during today's eclipse. What a different kind of day. It would seem if for only one day America actually stopped and smelled the roses if you will. Even our soon to be blind president got into the act. In 2024 there will be another total solar eclipse that will start in Mexico, go through Dallas, Little Rock, Indy, Toledo, Cleveland, Rochester & Buffalo NY, Montpelier VT and on into Canada. It should be about 90% coverage on that day 'round these parts while today was 73%.

If you're a pet lover like Johnny it may have crossed your mind about the fact if people need protective eye covering to prevent damage wouldn't dogs and cats that would be outside need some kind of protection? Johnny did the research and it said that dogs and cats very very rarely if ever look right at the sun so it would be unlikely they would today.

Get those glasses on people and enjoy an astronomical treat within the hour.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Does everyone have their PROPER glasses for viewing tomorrow? Good, if not you gotta get 'em. If you follow Johnny on Twitter you'll know he retweeted a gentleman last night who was a very curious pre-teen back in 1978 and looked at a partial eclipse and gave the warning his right eye still burns from those few seconds of unprotected curiosity.

OK, so now that we know tomorrow is nothing to fool with, here are the particulars. The eclipse will begin at 1:23pm with the maximum coverage at 2:44pm and the moon exiting the sun's path at 4:00pm. This 74% coverage eclipse won't be the usual moon crossing sun here, the moon will drift in front of the sun and will look like it's pivoting in the middle of the sun before moving away to what the eye would consider 10 o'clock on the dial. Confused by that? A video is worth a thousand words, click this handy link with what it'll look like and all the details beyond what we've discussed here.

“In the trees the night wind stirs, bringing the leaves to life, endowing them with speech; the electric lights illuminate the green branches from the under side, translating them into a new language.”
-- E.B. White

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Friday, August 18, 2017

Sometimes you just can't ignore current events and when that happens Johnny loves using music to comment on them. Let's get to the news:
Who's next? Not pictured are two prime candidates; Gorka? Miller? Both good choices. Anyway as any kind of publication we'd be remiss not to pile on the thimble-headed gherkin in charge and lead things off tonight fittingly with Queen and 'Another One Bites the Dust'

For Johnny's money no song encompasses the harmonies of doo-wop better than this one. The Flamingos from all the way back in 1959 with 'I Only Have Eyes for You' which might also be one of the bestest love songs ever sung.

This song is so great Johnny just can't get over it sometimes. Yes, the studio song is great. How does one improve on great in a short amount of time? Get yourselves an AOL Session and to send things over the top by adding (reverence please) Paul Simonon on bass and Mick Jones out front in the vanguard. It sure worked when they did it for The Clash.

Johnny's just gonna shut up now, Gorillaz with 'Glitter Freeze' from their AOL Sessions release, BOOM

Thursday, August 17, 2017

“The first week of August hangs at the very top of the summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone. There is no thunder, no relieving rain. These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after.”
-- Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

So many brilliant, moving descriptions of August in literature and yet so many sound similar.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

The New York Red Bulls rallied tonight from down 2-0 in Cincy vs FC Cincinnati to get power up and win 3-2 and advance to the final of the U.S. Open Cup Final vs Sporting KC on September 20th.

Gonzalo Veron started the fightback from the Red Bulls on 75 minutes. Three minutes later it was Bradley Wright-Phillips heading home to draw NY level. Bradley Wright-Phillips then scored the winner and there was much rejoicing.Just not in Cincinnati.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

The Jersey City Fire Department has promoted its first female firefighter to the position of fire battalion chief, congratulations Constance Zappella. Zapella took a few moments to talk to the young girls of Jersey City and what she'd say to them about her new job:

Zappella, 38, said she's working on having the most successful career with the department. Asked what her message would be to young Jersey City girls with dreams of becoming a firefighter, Zappella said she would tell them to "become one of us.""I'm very feminine, I'm obviously female, but don't even think about that," she said after the ceremony. "Go in, if you really want this job and you really want to make a difference in your city, go in with a positive attitude. Forget, put it on the shelf that you're a female and become one of us."
Our best to Battalion Chief Zappela!

Monday, August 14, 2017

Do you know where you were on this night in 2003? You were dealing with the blackout if you were in the northeast, midwest and Ontario. Johnny remembers having a huge neighborhood BBQ in Ypsilanti and got out the telescope as with no ambient light anywhere the night sky was reclaimed if only for a night.

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Friends, what we've witnessed by American citizens acting in unAmerican and unPatriotic ways simply cannot be allowed to stand. Nazi flags, confederate flags, idiot groups like Proud Boys and the so-called 3%ers that support and participate in this shit and beyond the American pale. Anyone who doesn't call this out for what it is, shameful white supremacists, inciting violence, showing up dressed to fight, and then using ISIS style tactics by driving a car at speed into a peaceful group of citizens has no place here, not for any race, religion, creed or especially political party. Sadly, one seems ok with the president emboldening this nonsense with weak almost denials this was Nazi and right wing related because he doesn't want to upset his base. It's beyond disgraceful and your inaction, GOP, WILL be remembered. If you can't stand against this kind of swill and the heinous human beings behind it where DO you draw the line?

Friday, August 11, 2017

Wherever and however you are tuning in tonight we want to hear you hit the chorus loud and proud all over town this evening. Johnny's got his windows open so let's hear this one Cool City. Beck, and the singalong-friendly, 'Loser'

We're using the studio version of this song, 'These Are Days', because the studio version with Natalie Merchant superimposed dancing on the eagle heads on the Chrysler Building was creeping Johnny (heights) out, making him dizzy and those effects weren't very special.

Let's rattle and hum along to this gold standard from U2 and the boys in the band though Johnny can't remember one of their names right now. Feel free to jump in down in the comments section but unless Johnny's stroking out it's not Ringo.

The Hewson lad and his mates with 'All I Want is You'

One of The Edge's best works -- JASP, Libarry of Music Reviews Book 805, ch9, p128

Thursday, August 10, 2017

It was 40 years ago his day in 1977 that David Berkowitz, Son of Sam, was arrested in NYC. The NY Daily News has a very interesting look back at the time with articles from the day on the shootings, the pressure police were under, the involvement of famed columnist Jimmy Breslin, the whole schmeer. Well worth a look.